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Beam Trawling

Volume 83: debated on Thursday 25 July 1985

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asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce new controls on beam trawling in so far as it affects smaller inshore fishermen, particularly in southern and south-western waters.

Beam trawling is a very effective method of catching flatfish. The increase in the beam trawling sector of the fleet in area VII in recent years has added to the difficulty of managing the Unted Kingdom quotas, particularly for sole and plaice, in this area and has led to suspension of directed fishing and in some cases premature closure of fisheries. In the light of consultations with the main industry organisations concerned Fisheries Ministers have now decided that action should be taken to prevent for the time being any further increase in beam trawling capacity in the area VII white fisheries.Accordingly, after today and until further notice a licence for a beam trawler to fish for area VII whitefish pressure stocks will be granted only if the vessel is to replace an existing licensed beam trawler and if Fisheries Departments are satisfied that the catching capacity of this sector will not thereby be increased. The same rule will apply to vessels equipped for fishing for scallops or queens with a beam, as such vessels can have a significant impact on flatfish stocks. In addition steps will be taken through the licensing arrangements to prevent existing licensed vessels being converted to beam trawling. The detailed arrangements including the treatment of any special cases will be notified to the industry shortly.These arrangements will be re-examined when the restrictive licensing arrangements as a whole are reviewed in the course of next year.